Teams 
Bideford 15 – 15 OPM
Tries: Ashlee Crouch, Jack Balsdon
Conversions: Fred Fishleigh
Penalty: Fred Fishleigh
It was very much a case of the old cliché , a game of two halves, as OPM burst out of the blocks while Bideford struggled to shake the long journey from their legs.
In truth, Bideford were not at the races in the opening half. A series of difficult phases made life hard, particularly up front. Giving away close to three stone per player in the pack, Biddy had to dig deep at scrum time, and OPM took full advantage. With the pack under pressure, OPM’s No. 8 twice exploited the blindside to score out wide.
The lesson from the first half was simple: stick to the basics. The Bideford lineout was dominant, yet too often they attempted to run from deep inside their own half or from the 22. They also played into the hands of OPM’s big pack, running against the grain, taking pods off nine instead of ten, or failing to fully commit at the breakdown. That said, there were encouraging phases of play, and the defensive effort was immense, featuring some brutal tackles.
A high shot on Ollie Hedden forced him from the field with a neck injury , thankfully not as serious as it could have been. The referee rightly issued a yellow card, though it could easily have been red.
Half-time could not have come soon enough. After some frank and honest words, the coaches’ message was clear: front up, use your brains, and win the second half.
The response was outstanding. From the restart, Bideford began winning the collision battle and took control of the contest. Highlights included:
- A trademark catch-and-drive in the corner, finished by Ashlee Crouch for Bideford’s opening score
- Jack Balsdon’s first try for the seniors on debut, a beautifully worked move involving both forwards and backs
- A superb touchline conversion from Fred Fishleigh
- A pinpoint cross-field kick from Pearny, allowing Balsdon to take full flight
Bideford could have won the game, but a try , initially awarded , was later disallowed, probably the correct decision. As the match wore on, Biddy’s fitness began to tell, and OPM’s bigger forwards were clearly feeling it. With seconds remaining and an injury stoppage, OPM were perhaps relieved to kick the ball dead, despite loud calls from the Bideford faithful to keep it alive and go for the win.
A gritty, resilient performance and a second-half display full of character, plenty for Bideford to take forward.
